Soltrino Aims To Shine Bright At Marine Expo
Two local moms, Linda Cook and Michelle Viera, the owners of an online boutique selling stylish sun protective clothing and accessories, will showcase their wares at a Trunk Show event, happening at the second annual St. George’s Marine Expo this weekend.
Since founding their online store Soltrino last year, the duo have gained support with Bermudians and expats alike. Some potential customers expressed an interest in seeing the items up close before buying – so Mrs. Cook and Mrs. Viera set about finding locations for pop-up events around the Island.
Last month they displayed their products at a private MAMA Bermuda event and at the Washington Mall; now they’re ready to introduce their collection to a wider cross section of the community at the Marine Expo on Sunday [April 23] from 11am until 6pm.
Mrs. Cook stated, “The trunk show will feature a variety of our most popular hats and clothing styles, as well as other stylish pieces from our range, and will give people a chance to have a look, buy what they like and ask questions.
“We want people to be able to feel the quality material and see the modern designs so they know exactly what they’re getting from us in the first place. We also want to make ourselves available to educate the community on better sun safe practices.
“There’s so much information out there about sun protection, but for many people it’s confusing as to how best to protect your skin type from UVA and UVB rays.
“Some people may have had melanoma, sun allergies, lupus or recently had chemotherapy or an organ transplant – and for medical reasons have to stay out of the sun. They still want to go outside and enjoy themselves, and we are hoping Soltrino will be the solution to those concerns.”
The idea for Soltrino was initially sparked by a desire to protect themselves and their families from the outside elements.
Mrs. Viera, a local water aerobics teacher, discovered that a few people close to her had been touched by skin cancer. She felt more had to be done to protect her children’s skin from the sun.
She started selling sun protective wetsuits to the women in her class – the idea gradually caught on.
“Sun protective clothing isn’t always known for being stylish, so we searched high and low to find pieces that were aesthetically pleasing and that people would enjoy wearing on a regular basis,” Mrs. Viera explained.
“Living in Bermuda the sun can be very strong and it’s something I’m aware I need to protect my kids from. I want them to be outside enjoying life here as much as possible, and by wearing sun protective clothing it means you can go out and enjoy yourself and not be as worried about the adverse effects of the sun.”
Visit the Marine Expo on Sunday [April 23] to see their products in person; or check out www.soltrino.com to order pieces online. Soltrino has a free 14 day return policy and both ladies are happy to answer any questions by e-mail: info@soltrino.com.
